Masks
by Tia13Tia
Summary: Blade was a normal 14 year old. Because going to prison for being part of a treasonous group is normal. Just like throwing cookies at angry Cassandras that are choking your crush is normal. A Varian X OC story.
1. 1. DAY 1- Welcome to the Underworld

DAY 1- Welcome to the Underworld (Well Low Enough for it Anyhow):

Disclaimer: Tangled and Tangled the Series (Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure) are not mine.

Varian hung limply in the grip of the two guards who were dragging him to his cell.

If you thought he was just saving his energy for his 'Plan', I regret to inform you that he did not have one.

He had just QUITTED.

People these days.

They kept having to carry him down stairs because, as they found out when he practically fell down the first flight of stairs, he refused to make any effort to move.

Finally, they came to a large metal door.

They unlocked it, bringing him into a cell at the entrance of the cellblock.

There were four chains attached to the back wall, there was a cuff on each chain.

The dreary sight let the bottled up terror escape and claw it's way up through his chest. A whimper slipped through his lips, and he twisted in their hold.

Their grip tightened, making him yelp.

He earned a pitying look from one of the guards, making his stomach clench.

He didn't want their pity.

He masked his fear with an expression of cold indifference.

They locked the cuffs on his wrists and ankles.

As soon as they let go he fell to his hands and knees.

Man, why were these cuffs so heavy?

Varian struggled to his feet and watched the guards lock his cell, leave the cellblock and he heard the click of them locking the cellblock.

The chains were surprisingly long, allowing him full munervability within his cell.

He plopped onto his bed. He missed Ruddiger already. They hadn't let him keep the raccoon. Probably because of the whole turning Ruddiger into a giant raccoon monster thing.

He was in prison and now… there was no one to try to save his Dad. No one.

He bit his lip, letting a few tears trickle down his cheeks.

"Don't worry, Dad." Varian whispered. "I will get to the bottom of this."

Something akin to determination stirred up inside him. He raised his voice. "I promise."

He began to sing: "I will make you proud, get the answers and set you free."

He stood, straining against the weight of the cuffs. "Don't you worry, whatever it might take, I'm finding a way."

Varian dragged himself to the front of the cell, chains trailing behind him. He grabbed onto the bars, singing even louder, his voice echoing ominously through the cellblock. "And I swear right now, no matter what comes of me, anybody who stands or has stood in my path, they are going to pay!"

He let his hand drop to his sides. "They. Will. Pay." He clenched his fist.

"Wow."

Great. Company.

"What do you want?" He growled.

"To talk to you, duh." Brilliant blue eyes peeked out through the bars, from the cell across from his.

He couldn't see her, because it was night, as I forgot to mention.

"I don't want to talk."

"You're gonna want to pretty darn soon." She said cheerfully. "It can get painfully lonely down here. I'm Blade, you're Varian, right?"

He didn't answer, he just collapsed on his bed.

"Hmpf. Well, welcome to Corona's version of the Underworld anyhow."


	2. 2 DAY 2- I'm Who?

**2\. DAY 2: I'm Who!?**

Disclaimer: Tangled and Tangled the Series (Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure) are not mine.

"Good morning!" Blade said brightly to the terrified guard that pushed their trays of food under the doors to their cells.

He cast her a single frightened glance and shot out of the cellblock.

"Thank you!"

Varian blearily blinked his eyes open, sitting up.

"And good morning to you too, sleeping beauty." Varian could see her now due to the light trickling through-

Well that thing on the roof and floor of every cell. With the bars.

Blade was perched on her bed, munching on a hunk of bread. Her chocolate brown hair slithered down her back, falling in her face. It was straight, and cut in a perfect line.

He met her eyes and turned red upon realizing that he had been staring.

"You might want to eat that," She nodded to the tray on the floor. "Y'know, before it gets even more stale."

Varian got off the bed, half wishing he had slept on the floor, maybe his back would hurt less, and began to choke down the bread.

"So, guy that won't admit if I got his name right, what is your name?"

"Varian." He supplied shortly.

"Nice to meet you." Blade took another bite out of her bread. "So, any chance that you'll tell me your story? 'cause I'm not sure I trust the rumors."

Varian wanted to scream, to shout, to tell her to shut up. He just wanted to be left alone.

He couldn't AFFORD to make another friend. He couldn't be betrayed again.

But then again, he WAS curious. "What are the rumors?"

Blade grinned. "That Demetris turned evil and used a combination of magic and science to morph into to shape of a boy."

For a second Varian couldn't think. His mind was spinning. How stupid were people anyways?

"He wanted the power of the sundrop, so he trapped the possessed Quirin-"

She was interrupted by a crunch.

She stared at Varian. He had just crushed his bread in his fist.

Which should have been impossible, I mean the bread was stone hard, and Varian's arms are really… noodly?

And not to mention that his eyes looked like they might be glowing…

Blade smirked. "Oh, and they said the reason you hate the King and princess is… are you sure you want to know?"

Varian wasn't sure. He nodded anyway.

Blade bit her lip. "Because you're MADLY IN LOVE WITH THE QUEEN!"

"What!?" Varian screeched.

Blade burst into hysterical laughter.

Five guards burst into the room.

Blade stopped laughing.

Varian let go of the bars that he had grabbed at some point.

Varian glared at Blade.

Blade cocked her head. "Uh… we weren't doing anything."

The guards stared at them. The Captain was at the head of them.

"Oh!" Blade leaned against the bars. "Varian, I want you to look at those guards."

He gave her a deadpan look. "I am."

"Was. Look at them. Each one of them probably has a home, a family." Her voice was melodramatic.

"Your point?"

"Don't hurt them-"

"That's brilliant coming from a terrorist!" Exclaimed of the guards.

"First of all, ouch. Second, I didn't finish." She cleared her throat. "Unless you do it in front of the hero and it hurts them, or if it serves a purpose." She held up a book 'Villainy 101'. "Rule twenty one."

The Captain strode up to her cell. "Hand it over."

"But Caaaaap'. It's just a book." Blade whined, handing it to him.

And then it caught fire.

The Captain dropped the book.

Everyone watched at the book burned.

"Search her." The Captain ordered.

Four guards entered the cell, two of the guards grabbed her and held firmly.

"Ow, people really. I'm not struggling, for goodness sake."

They patted her all over. (Get your mind out of the gutter people, everywhere appropriate)

No one thought to take off her jacket. Like, no one.

Corona security.

"She doesn't have anything else."

"Then how did she set a book on fire?" The Captain snapped.

"Maybe it's magic Captain." One of the guards whispered to the Captain as he left her cell.

"Well, there seems to be nothing going on."

The guards left.

Blade yelled after the Captain. "Varian admits that he's Demetris!"

"What- I'm not!"

The Captain rolled his eyes. Children.

.

.

.

"So terrorist, huh?"

"Seporatist. Born in."

"The guys who want to burn down Corona?"

"Yeah, those guys."


	3. 3 DAY 7- Temper, People, Temper

**3\. DAY 7: Temper, People, Temper.**

 **Disclaimer: Tangled and TTS are not mine.** **Another lovely day in the Corona prison. Lady Caine was sleeping, the Stabbington brothers were pacing, Andrew was sulking, and Blade was trying to engage Varian in conversation.**

"Do you like reading?"

"Mm hm."

"Are you listening?"

A small smile found his face for a fleeting second, before his expression fell back into the same irritated, bitter mask. "Mm hm."

"Brilliant! Have you read 'The Tales of Flynnigan Rider'?"

"Have you?" Varian asked, before he could stop himself.

"Yeah! Like- a thousand times! It's my favorite book series!"

"Really?" He finally looked at her. "It's mine too!"

"My favorite book in the series is 'Flynnigan Rider and the Black Viper', what's your's?"

He stared at her. "That's my favorite in the series too…"

"No way." She paused for a second: "Remember that scene-"

But he never found out what scene, because she was cut off by the opening of the door.

A nervous looking girl entered the room. The most noticeable thing about her was her long blond hair. Seventy feet of it. On her right, her boyfriend Eugene gripped her hand as support. Her friend and Lady in Waiting Cassandra was on her left, her hand on the hilt of her sword.

Varian's expression twisted into a sneer. "Princess Rapunzel and company, what an honor."

"Varian." She barely whispered. She looked scared.

"Watch how you talk to the princess." Cassandra said in a low, but dangerous voice.

"What's it to you…" He paused. "Cassie?"

He had gone to far. It happened so fast Blade almost missed it. Cassandra grabbed his neck and pulled him up against the bars.

"Don't. Call. Me. Cassie." She growled.

Varian only shook his head in response, coughing violently, his face go purple from lack of oxygen.

"Cass-"

Rapunzel was interrupted by a cookie flying past her face, and slamming into Cassandra's head.

Cassandra swiveled around in surprise, dropping Varian.

He landed on four, panting heavily. A cold smile found his face.

Cassandra picked the cookie up angrily, and threw it at Eugene.

It hit his face. He picked it up, and with and exclamation of: "Mmm, chocolate chip!" He started to eat it.

"Eugene!"

Cassandra stormed off.

"Well, as wonderful as it was seeing you again, Varian. We have to go." With that he assured Rapunzel out of the cellblock.

"Oh, and thanks for the cookie-"

"Blade."

"-yeah, Blade."

There was the sound of locking, and then silence.

"You okay?"

"Fine." Varian finally got up, and sat on his bed. "Where did you get the cookie?"

"Kitchens. Want one?"

He rolled his eyes. "No. How did you get there?"

"Uh… picked the lock, and went there… very quietly."

"And you haven't escaped… because?"

"The guard at the entrance is a really tough… horse."

Varian snorted. He ignored Blade's annoyed look as he began to think. He was trying to figure out how to blow up the door, and make some dramatic exit. But if he could get Blade to pick the lock…

He stood up, shadows casting over him. A sinister smirk found his face. "Feel like, breaking out?" The tone of his voice sent a chill down her spine.

She was seeing his darker side, and she was sure if she was frightened, or excited.

Probably both.

"I'm all ears."


	4. 4 DAY 7- Corona Security

**4\. Cont. DAY 7- Corona Security**

Disclaimer: Tangled and TTS are not mine.

"Whatever plan you have," Blade muttered under her breath, as she crept down the hallway in broad daylight, followed a nervous looking Varian. "It is the stupidest plan, ever."

"Thanks." He shot back.

She turned red. He was kinda hot when he was annoyed. Blade shook the thought from her head.

Next time she did something like this, she was going to demand the full plan.

Varian tried one of the doors. It was unlocked.

Corona security.

He slipped in quickly, flipping through a book on a stand. He committed one of the pages to memory.

"The book." Blade whispered. It was THE book. Y'know, the one all of the Seporatists are after.

Varian pushed the book into her arms. "All of the secret passageways. You should be able to figure it out." With that said, he went towards the doors.

"Wait!" Blade covered her mouth as Varian turned around. Her heart quickened it's pace. She forced scorn into her voice. "Are you ditching me?"

He seemed honestly bewildered, as if he thought that he was the burden. "Wha- I- What!?" He composed himself, rolling his eyes. "I suppose you could refer to it that way, I just didn't want to waste your time."

"With what?"

"Listen. I have to find someone." He made to leave, again.

"Your… raccoon?"

"...Yes." He growled.

"And… you have a plan?"

"..."

"Alright. I'll strike you a deal."

He bit his tongue, turning to her, again.

"I figure out where the raccoon is and help you break him out, if necessary. You come with me to rescue my brother, and stick with me 'til we're out of the castle. Deal?"

"Insecure much?" He folded his arms.

"You're one to talk. Deal?"

"Deal." He groaned.

Blade grinned. "Now turn around, I'm changing."

"Why?" He asked, doing as she said.

"Disguise."

After a moment she said: "Done."

Blade had tied her hair into a high ponytail with a huge, bouncy, pink ribbon, and traded her skirt out for a matching pink one.

"No one is going to fall for that."

"Watch, and learn, Goggles." With a swish of her skirt, she left the room, Varian following her discreetly.

Blade approached the only two guards in the hall.

Once again, Corona security.

"Hi." She said in a voice different from her own. The voice was smaller, quieter, squeakier and shy. Her posture was drastically different as well, she seemed almost as if she were trying to curl into herself and disappear. Think, Fluttershy.

The guards did not question the presence of a young girl in the castle, because, as we all know, Corona castle is open to all of the citizens.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again-

CORONA SECURITY.

The two guards glanced at each other before looking back at her.

Varian's breath caught in his throat.

"Um, hello." Said the thicker of the two, Varian thought his name might have been Steve, or Stan, or something. "What's your name?"

"Susan." She mumbled. "I-I was wondering if you could, um, maybe- uh, help me with my um.. Project?" The last world came out in a squeak.

"Of course we can!" The second one, tall, thin and pale. Varian was almost certain his name was Bill, said brightly.

Or was it Jill?

Ah, yes. Phil.

Quirrel?

"What do you need help with?"

"Um well, you see, we're um doing it on, um, current criminal activity and um, I'm supposed to do it on… um. The… a-al" It seemed to physically hurt her to say the word. "Alchemist."

"You mean…" Quirrel dropped his voice to a whisper. "...Varian?"

Varian shifted slightly, he didn't want to admit it, but having his name treated like something poisonous- hurt.

Blade-Susan-Blade, Susade-Blusan.

Okay. BLUSAN nodded.

"Alright, what do you need to know, kid?" Asked Steve-the-mustache-guy.

We're going to call him by his last name. Guy.

"Um- well- y'see." She fiddled with a notebook, jotting something down. "Name- Uh- V-Varian. Goal…?" She looked at them hopefully.

"Save his father." Said Quirrel.

"And get revenge on Corona." Added Guy.

She wrote that down. "Associates?"

"...None."

"Minions?" Blusan offered.

"Um... well, he does have a pet raccoon, and a bunch of automatons."

"Um… what happened to them?"

"The automatons or the raccoon?"

"Uh- raccoon?"

"Put in room forty two, with high security, to protect him from Varian."

"To protect… him?"

"Yeah." Guy frowned. "In his last moments he betrayed Varian, and that guy is one for grudges."

Blusan seemed shocked and on the verge of tears. "And V-Varian went to prison, right?"

"Yes." Said Guy grimly.

"Thank you for all of your help!" Blusan exclaimed, brightening up. "I think I'll get a good grade." She surprised them with a tight hug, before running off.

"Cute kid." Varian heard Quirrel say.

"Mmhm." Guy replied.

They didn't suspect a thing.

CORONA. SECURITY. UGHHHHHHHH.

References:

Chuck the Evil Sandwich Making Guy: Surname: Guy. Reference: Stan the Guard's nickname.

Qurriell*:Phil's- I'm sorry, PETE's nickname.


	5. 5 Cont DAY 7

**5\. Cont. DAY 7- Everyone Thinks Varian and Blade Are A Couple.**

A formal apology to Pete for calling him Phil.

Sorry.

Anyhow.

Disclaimer: TTS and Tangled are not mine. Sadly.

"I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a raccoon."

Straight to the point.

"Listen, I'm not going hurt Ruddiger."

Blade raised a brow.

Varian bit his lip. "Okay. Listen. I'm angry at him. He let that stupid chameleon out!" He kicked the ground and glared at it.

Blade watched him silently.

"But…"

That butt changed the whole world.

Sorry.

Not Sorry.

"...I have to wonder."

"Maybe… Just maybe… he was right." He kept his eyes cast to the ground. "Maybe I went to far. Maybe."

"Alright! Alright! Let's go save your stupid raccoon." Blade rolled her eyes, grabbing his arm and dragging him down the hall.

/

They weren't kidding when they said high security.

I mean, a whole four guards!

Astounding!

Amazing!

Unbelievable!

"Let's go kick some butt."

"I don't have any of my chemicals on me-"

"Watch and learn, amateur."

And Blade took the reins. Again.

Sadly, not literally.

She ran off for a second, and came back in a 'royal guard in training' outfit.

Before Varian could tell her exactly how unconvincing it was, she had strode right up to the guards.

"Hi!"

Goshdarnnit.

"Hey."

The guards greeted her, talking over each other and glaring at each other.

"Who're you?" Asked one guard. A tall, blond one we're gonna call Luke.

"Yeah, I don't recognise you." Put in another one, a big, thuglike one, with brown hair. He's Ralph.

"I'm Kia, the new trainee, just got in this morning." She spoke in a self assured matter, sounding wholly pleased with herself. "My dad said I'd never get in, but I did- sorta. Anyhow, the Captain said he wants you to see him in the treasury. Or the his office. Not sure. I think it was the treasury, probably some drill or something."

"But what about the… You know what?" Luke snipped.

"Puh-leez, you think you-know-who is going to find out, and escape, in the five minutes it'll take for the new squad of guards to get here. Pffft. And I'm not completely useless."

Ralph nodded. "Alright let's go."

"Who put you in charge?" Demanded a blond, blue eyed, short guy. He's Victor.

"Fine. You say it."

"Alright, let's go. See? I said it BEST."

"Shut up, both of you." Growled a moody, black haired, short guy. Nico.

"Shut up yourself." Luke folded his arms.

"Hello? The Captain sent for you! You know what he's like when he's ticked off!"

The four hurried off.

"Who made her in change?"

"The Captain apparently."

Blade waited until they were out of sight, and picked the lock. "Piece of chocolate cake. Cross that, slice of double layered chocolate cake, with chocolate drizzle, filled with pieces of chocolate and candy, with even more pieces of chocolate on top. Mmm, chocolate…" She got all starry eyed.

Blade shook herself. "Hey, Var, get over here, it won't be long before those guards figure out that it's a trap."

He came over, glancing around uncomfortably. "I can't believe that worked."

"Girl power."

He rolled his eyes. "And really? Var?"

"I could call you Ree, or Inn, or Rian, but Var rolls of the tongue better." She peeked through the door, before swinging it open. Ruddiger ran out.

Excuse me, they wouldn't put a raccoon in a cage.

Y'know, sentient animals.

And Corona morals.

Sigh.

Ruddiger climbed onto Varian, slapped his face with his tail, settled on his shoulders and chittered something into his ear.

Varian turned bright red and muttered: "Shuttup."

That meant: 'You're such a jerk, but I forgive you. By the way, who's the girl? She's pretty, dontcha think?'

Luckily, Blade didn't know raccoon.

"Okay." Blade grabbed Varian's arm, a shock zipping through her body. "C'mon."

She wasn't sure why she wanted him around, I mean he's a depressed psycho, and rather grumpy.

But, he was also fun to talk to(annoy), and rather cute.

Y'know, when he wasn't glaring murderously.

/

Finding Blade's brother was easy.

You see, there was a book listing all of the cells and who was in them in the last fifty years.

And now they were walking hurriedly down a line of cells.

"This one."

"I still don't know why you need to drag me along…"

"Later." Blade leaned against the cell, fiddling with the lock with one hand, covering her mouth with the other to make her voice echo.

It didn't really work.

"Hello, 3-18-1-16, do you copy?"

The person in the cell jumped to his feet, spinning around.

Long brown hair, dark skin…

Yeah, it's Andrew.

Well, y'know Hubert.

(I don't care that he tried to kill Cassandra! IlovehimIlovehimIlovehim! He is so hot! And funny! I mean- "Shame, I was starting to like you." Squee! And the the way he admitted that his name was Hubert-"...It's Hubert…" And he's like, the only one to come near matching Cassandra in close range combat! Like OMGOMGOMG!)

(Sorry.)

(Not really.)

"H-Blade?" He scowled. "I was supposed to get out before you."

"Yeah, yeah. I know I'm awesome." She flashed him a smirk. "Well… I had help." She jabbed her thumb at Varian.

"So you finally started dating."

"I did not! We are not dating!" Blade exclaimed, bright red.

"Really?"

"You two are siblings?" Varian cut in.

"Well…" They said simultaneously.

"Adopted." Hubert replied.

"But we're almost definitely related." Blade swang the door open and stuffed a paper into his hand. "Secret tunnel."

/

It was evening, and in short, Blade pretty much told Varian to lead the way and followed him through the halls of Corona castle.

He swung a door open, and by then it was too late to realize that they had taken a wrong turn. A very wrong turn.

Three very startled, and very important people stared at them.

A certain Princess Rapunzel, Eugene Fitzherbert, and Cassandra.

Well, it could have been worse.


	6. 6 Cont DAY 7- Killer

6\. Cont. DAY 7- Killer

 **Disclaimer: TTS, Tangled and the songs Killer, and Bullet Train are not mine.**

 **Bold- Singing, A/N, Disclaimer.**

Varian swore.

Rapunzel suppressed the urge to tell him off.

"Dun, da dun. We're dead."

"Thanks for noticing." Varian shot back.

Blade stuffed a knife into Varian's hands. "I hope you know how to fight, 'cause I'm no master myself."

"How-"

"Corona security."

In fact, Varian had gotten a little training in 'Fighting in Circumstances Where You Are Disadvantaged'.

And of course, Quirin never explained how he knew this stuff, or why he was teaching it to Varian.

Dads.

Cassandra shot an arrow at them from a crossbow, as it neared them, Blade's hand moved quicker than humanly possible, it seemed, flinging a couple miniature boomerang blades towards it.

Seconds later the arrow was in pieces, and Blade was holding miniature boomerang blades between her fingers, wearing a cheshire grin.

"Not a master… more of an artist."(Pronounced: Arr-tea-st, with an accent) Blade laughed, before muttering, mostly to herself: "Even though I can't draw to save my life."

"You take Crossbow Lady, I'll take the other two."

"What- I- hey!" Varian glared at Blade as he charged at Cassandra.

Blade nearly got banged in the head about twenty times as she barraged Rapunzel and Eugene with a swirling storm of knives.

Varian blocked a blow to his head with the blade, and lunged forward for another attack.

Music began to play.

Varian parried an attack to his shoulder. " **Stu-u-uck in a limbo-** "

Everyone(minus Varian) took a moment to look confused.

Blade rolled her eyes. " **Here we go.** "

" **Me and my sins go- toe to toe-oh oh oh!** " Varian stabbed the knife forward, aiming for the chest.

Cassandra blocked it last second, looking a little impressed.

" **I played a vicious part!** "

Cassandra raised an eyebrow.

That meant: 'WTF is he going on about?'

" **Whoa-oh!** " Blade put in helpfully.

" **A broken heart, into an unfair share of pa-a-arts!** " He made a jab towards her heart.

"Very unique." Eugene joked.

Varian didn't seem to hear him.

" **I'm about to blow, so if you come around, maybe you should know-oh-oh-oh!** "

" **Go ahead, knock me out, you know what's best for you!** "

Knock me out=Kill me

" **Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh!** "

" **I'm!** " He stabbed forward.

" **No!** " Again.

" **Good!** " Repeat.

" **For!** " And again.

" **You!** " Ditto.

" **Ooh!** " You get the idea.

" **I'm not built for you, so-** "

Cassandra tried to cut him off."Okay listen, if you think that-"

" **I'll run away, run away!** "

"What."

Yeah, that was all Cassandra could say.

"' **Cause I'm no- I'm no- I'm no-** "

" **Good for you.** "

Cassandra groaned.

That meant: 'Why is this my life!?'

" **I'm.** "

" **No!** "

" **Good!** "

" **For!** "

" **You!** "

" **Ooh!** "

"We get it!"

" **This love I gotta lose,** "

" **So I'll run away, run away.** "

" **He's a bullet train-** " Blade was quickly cut off by the flow.

"' **Cause I'm no, I'm no, I'm no-** "

" **Good for you.** "

" **I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, kill-er.** "

" **I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, kill-er.** "

" **I'm a, I'm a, I'm a, KILL-ILL-ER!** "

"Varian: Number of successful murders: zero." Blade pointed out 'very helpfully'.

" **L-l-lower than real low,** "

I guess I have to mention that Rapunzel is looking very confused too.

" **Here we go.** "

" **Hide my heart like a reaper.** "

"Does that even make any sense?:

" **You dug yourself into-** "

" **A pretty mess that I made for you-ooh-ooh!** "

At that moment Rapunzel decided to exclaim out loud the thing that nobody bothered to point out. "I get it! Varian's song is about how he doesn't have a crush on Cass anymore!"

Cue anime style deadpan.

Varian pretty much ignored everyone.

" **I've a lot to show-** " He missed the next line due to nearly getting stabbed in the heart.

That would have been inconvenient.

It would be kinda hard for Ruddiger to get a hold of one of Quirin's bones for the ressurection ritual. (Harry Potter)

" **I'd tear you up in two.** "

"Varian, there is a big difference between stabbing and tearing."

" **So I'll go ahead, walk out, do what's best for you.** "

" **Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh.** "

"Uh, hello? Kind of crazy moment here, are you done singing love songs to your crush?" Snapped a frustrated, greenish looking, Blade, who had pinned to the wall with small knives, and gagged, Eugene and Rapunzel, who, except for a few small scratches, seemed unharmed.

"Let's get our butts outta here, before, you know!"

"First of all, those were not love songs! I don't have a crush on Princess Rapunzel's _Lady In Waiting_ anymore."

"Cold." But, the butterflies in Blade's stomach did a few happy flips.

Somehow, Varian managed to pathetically defend himself from Cassandra, while being dragged ahead by Blade.

"Alright y'know what?" Blade said, attacking Cassandra. "You run ahead I'll catch up."  
Cassandra finally decided she needed backup.

One could not handle the power that was Blade alone.

You know, because Varian was going to go ahead.

I mean, Blade was transformed. Knives swirling around her like a wild blizzard, and a black cat ear headband that no one was quite sure when she put it on.

But no one ran ahead, and because I, Tia13tia, am a kind dictator with complete control over everything, and let them go to the secret tunnel before being caught up by the guards.

/

Meanwhile:

"Why aren't you four at your post?" The Captain said it in his usual I-would-like-to-kill-you-but-I-don't-want-to-go-to-prison air.

"You sent for us." Luke said dryly.

"No. I did not."

"Uh- what?" Ralph asked.

Victor folded his arms.

"Nico." Nico stopped in his tracks. "Where are you going?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nico locked his dark eyes with the Captain's, staring at him in a dead way that would haunt the Captain for years to come.

Well, probably not. The Captain's a tough guy.

Nico's voice was cold and hollow. As usual. "It's clearly a trap. The Alchemist must have escaped. The person who came, Kia, must have been an associate. Probably a fangirl. He's collecting followers. Shouldn't we… do something about it?"

"Yes, of course. Ralph, check room 42, if empty, search for Varian. If not, stand guard. Luke, go with him. Victor, tell everyone about the issue, and tell the other guards to search. Nico, I want you to search the tunnels."

They all dashed out of the room.

"Dad!"

There is no rest for the wicked, or for a Captain.

"Cassandra, we-"

"Varian's escaped. He attacked the princess, Fitzherbert and I. He had a girl with him. She had brown hair, a lot of knives, and… a cat headband."

Yep, that sounded like a fangirl alright.

"Alright Cassandra. Alert the castle to the danger."

/

Anyhow, Nico crept through the secret tunnels.

And, behold, voices.

Or, uh, beheard, voices…?

Nay.

"Why are these tunnels so boring, and why are you poking everything with that knife?"

Nico drew his sword. "Halt."

The two jumped.

"Halt? Really? La-ame."

"Kia, you are working for… him?" Nico asked calmly, with a voice as cold as death.

In that moment, Blade realized that she was still wearing the guard in training uniform. With her jacket over it. Note, it's like the one Eugene wore while he was trying to become a royal guard. "Hi. It's not Kia, it's Blade-"

"Really?"

"-and I am not working for him, I am… cooperating with him."

"Sure." Nico rolled his eyes. "Listen. Come quietly, and no one will get hurt."

Blade exaggeratedly rolled her eyes, imitating him mockingly. "No one will get hurt." She smirked. "You should reword that. YOU won't get hurt. Hate to break it to you, but boredom hurts. A lot." And with that, she slashed the dull side of the knife towards the side of his head.

He dodged with surprising swiftness.

Varian and Blade closed in for attack.

Nico was blocking and dodging like someone who had years of practice.

And then, out of nowhere: "Do you want to take over the world?"

Nico earned himself a pair of blank stares. "Just Corona then?"

"What? No-what-why?" Varian rambled. "No!"

"Oh." Nico lowered his sword. "Go."

"What you mean go!?" Blade demanded. "We're fighting here! Hello?"

But it was too late, Nico disappeared into the shadows.

Okay, fine, he took a couple of steps to the left.

"Go."

The two ran off without looking back.

OMAKE:

"For the last time, my name isn't Nico." Growled Nico. "It's Nero. Ne-ro. I don't care about your Percy Jackson and the Olympians reference, or that you don't like tyrannical Roman emperors."

"Aw." That was me. I can talk. Woo.


	7. 7 DAY (-5127)- Flashbacks

7\. DAY (-5127)

Disclaimer: TTS and Tangled are not mine.

/ DAY (-5127)

"ARRGH!"

Yep, birth is painful. And bloody.

A pale, thin woman was convulsing on a bed. Screaming.

She was surrounded by a few people, who were, y'know, aiding the process.

It wasn't a very professional, the room was probably some sort of bedroom, and nobody was wearing all white.

It only took a few minutes, but for the woman it felt like hours. Soon a man was holding a frail baby in his arms. A girl.

She was thin and pale. She was weak.

"Your daughter may be a great asset to our cause." The woman was informed formally. "She is to be named Hailey. Do you have any objections?"

The woman shook her head.

"She may have great potential." And then, under his breath:

"If she lives long enough."

/DAY (-3932)/Around three years later

Normally Hubert would have been chatting with one of his friends, laughing about something bad that hadn't happened to them, but it happened that that two of them were on a mission, a couple were trying to break into a room that they were convinced was the Head Seporatist's room(he prayed for their sake that it wasn't.), and a few more we're having a shouting match in the middle of the lunchroom.

He was about to join in, when a small hand wrapped around his bread.(Yes everyone who eats bad food eats bread in this world, even though bread is good food.)(Nevermind.)

He grabbed the wrist of the hand.

The thief let out a yelp, letting go of the bread immediately.

Hubert let go as if stunned.

It was a small girl, probably about two, or maybe three. She was staring up at him with the most innocent, yet terrified blue eyes, who were starting to fill up with tears.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, seeming like she wanted to bolt, but was afraid to. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'mso-"

"What's your name?"

"Hailey." She choked out.

He pushed the bread into her hands. "Take it."

Hailey gave him one amazed expression, as he walked off to join the shouting contest.

/DAY (-3179)

Juniper had just vanished. Into thin air, seemingly.

No one had seen her, so apparently she had gone AWOL.

That or she had been killed. Or worse, disappeared.

Hubert shivered at the thought.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

A young girl peeked through the door. "Hi! I'm your new roommate."

"Well then, come in, I'm Hubert, by the way."

"I'm Hailey. Although some people," She pulled a wanted poster out from under her jacket. "Call me Blade."

"Who knew you could get a prize over you head just for stealing a couple hundred knives, sorry, BLADES."

/

A/N: Name reveal for Blade!

I think I'm going to keep calling her Blade.


	8. 8 Cont DAY 7- Darn Hormones

**8\. Cont. DAY 7- Darn Hormones**

 **A/N: I am basically ignoring the cannon from season 3 for this fic. Probably.**

 **Disclaimer: TTS and Tangled aren't mine.**

Varian and Blade had parted ways only a hour or so ago.

Blade was now at the meeting spot she had told Hubert to meet her at.

Yes, that is what that number was.

The meeting spot was a hideout they had set up a while back, a cave with a couple of chairs and a few bottles of water.

"I have a crush." Blade mumbled, staring at her knees as she sat on the worn chair. "I have a crush on Varian."

She sounded like she didn't believe herself.

Maybe she didn't have a crush on him. Maybe she just thought he was interesting. And smart, dorky, cool, cute and hot-

Darnnit.

Ughhhhh.

So what did you do when you had a crush on someone?

She couldn't ask her parents, heck she didn't even who they were.

(In the Seporatist, child stays with their mother for the first two years, and then is moved into a large room with beds, and sleeps and hangs out and stuff there, until age six, where they move into a room with a roommate. A child gets no parental guidance, besides older Seporatists, and their daily classes.)

She could ask Hubert, maybe. But he was just about as experienced as her about a REAL relationship.

I mean, he sorta knew.

Blade tried to imagine what he tell her to do: 'Send him letters, get to know him.'

She could try that.

Blade started to compose the letter in her head.

'Hi Varian,'

She already sounded stupid.

Maybe: 'Greetings, The Alchemist.'

'Hullo.'

Or 'Varian, I really like you. Blade.'

Yeah that sounded right.

What if he didn't like her back?

"How do you love someone," She asked herself. "Without getting hurt?"

Blade started to sing because all awesome scenes must have singing, by the order of Tia13Tia.

"Mama never told me how to love."

"Daddy never told me how to feel."

"Mama never told me how to touch."

"Daddy never showed me how to heal!"

Blade bit her lip and glanced around. They needed food.

She slipped a silver mask onto her face, and braided her hair, pulling the hood of her jacket over her head.

She started on her way to the city of Corona, leaving a note, stating where she'd gone.

"I've walked around, broken. Emotionally frozen. Getting it on. Getting it wrong."  
She was in Corona, slipping between the building, and no one found a hooded and masked figure singing, and slipping between buildings odd, or alarming. Because this just happens all the time.

"How do you love someone, without getting hurt?"

"How do you love someone, without crawling in the dirt!?"

Blade swiped from a shop a loaf of bread. She had been seen. The shopkeeper screamed for the guards.

"So far in my life, clouds have blocked the sun."

"How do you love? How do you love someone?"

Guards cornered her. There were five of them.

"How do you love? How do you love someone?"

Blade smirked and whipped out ten knives.

"I was always the chosen child, the biggest scandal I became."

She parried blows left and right, with flicks of her blades.

"They told me I'd never survive,"

She flung the knives forward, so that they knocked every weapon to the ground, and flew back to her hands.

"But survival's my middle name!"

"I've walked around hoping, just barely coping."

"Getting it on, getting it wrong."

"How do you love someone, without getting hurt?"

Blade went into the cave. Hubert was already there.

"Hey." He nodded towards her.

She waved the loaf of bread.

"So how close was it?" He asked as soon as they started eating.

"If the guards hadn't been completely incompetent, it would have been a tragedy. But… they're useless."

He snorted. "What happened?"

"Five of them cornered me. Knocked the weapons out of their hands and ran for it while they were confused."

"Don't get cornered again."

"Meh."

/

 _Science guy,_

 _I have a few matters to discuss with you. Send location and time by letter._

 _Knives._

/

 _Knives,_

 _How about the coffee shop near my place? Midnight, tomorrow._

 _Science guy._

/

 _Science guy,_

 _Where is your place?_

 _Knives._

/

 _Knives,_

 _Old Corona, heavily guarded._

 _Science guy._

/

 _Science guy,_

 _Okay._

 _Knives._


	9. 9 DAY 8- Svana

**A/N: Svana was inspired by the song Poker Face by Lady Gaga, but the song does not accurately portray her.** **Disclaimer: TTS and Tangled do not belong to me.**

It was in a Casino near Old Corona.

Svana threw the cards onto the table.

"Four of a kind."

She flashed a sweet smile around the table, pulling the chips towards her.

"You're cheating!" Snapped the guy across table.

On her left, Helena giggled.

"How so?" She flashed him a smirk.

"You're shoving them up your sleeves!"

ELiza, on her right, groaned loudly. "She doesn't HAVE any sleeves!"

The man sat back down, flushed with embarrassment.

Card counting wasn't CHEATING, strictly speaking.

It was strategy.

They lost a couple games, lightly.

Then Helena won.

A couple more games.

And Eliza won.

Svana blew a kiss across the table as she won with a straight, which had some of the the guys blushing, and everyone else glaring furiously.

Someone started a conversation: "Anyone been following the recent escapes?"

A few nos went around the table, so the guy continued. "This guy, named Varian, he escaped prison with some girl called Blade." He pointed across the room at the wanted posters.

Svana looked across the room. One of the posters showed a grinning long haired, and in her opinion, not very attractive, girl. More importantly was Varian.

He was glaring viciously, his hair hanging in his face. And he was HOT. And somehow also cute.

Svana's heart stopped. She was in love.

The game resumed, but Svana wasn't focused. Eventually the three girls left the Casino.

"Yo, Earth to Svana!"

Svana shook herself. "Yeah?"

Eliza smirked. "Someone's lovestruck, who's the lucky guy?"

Svana stared into space for a moment. "Varian."

Helena giggled.

"He's like, eight." Eliza stated.

"No, he's around fourteen, I think." Helena mumbled.

Svana shrugged.


End file.
